Slicing machine



Dec. 10, 1929. w. J. CAMPBELL SLICING MACHINE Original Filed May 8, 1926 3 Sheets-Sheet MMQ Dec. 10, 1929. w. .1. CAMPBELL SIJ ICING MACHINE Original Filed May 8, 1926 3 Sheets-Sheet Dec. 10, 1929- w. J. CAMPBELL SLICING MACHINE I5 Sheets-Sheet Original Filed May- 8, 1926 Patented Dec. 10, 1929 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE WILLIAM J. CAMPBELL, OF INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA, ASSIGNOR '1'0 AMERICAN SLIC- ING MACHINE COMPANY, 01 CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK;

' SLICING MACHINE Original application filed May a, 1926,

My invention relates to a slicing machine and particularly to a slicing machine for slicing meat which shall be light, simple to manufacture, and easy to operate. "One purpose is the provision of a slicing machine of the type described wherein the knife is entirely masked from the operator except alon the arc of the knife where the slicing is e fected. Another object is the provision of improved supporting and guiding means for the meat support. v,Another object is the provision of an improved gauge plate for controlling the thickness 0 the slice. Another object is the provision of improved adjustl5 ment means for the knife. Other objects will appear from time to time in the course of the specification and claims. -This application is a-division of my copending application No. 107,656, filed May I illustrate my iiiv'ention more or less diagrammatically in the accompanying drawin s.-Wherein igure- 1 isan end elevation with partsbroken away;

Figure 2 1s a plan view with parts in horizontal section; Figure 3 is a broken away;

Figure 4 is a section on Figure 3;

igure 5 is a section on-the line 5-5 of Figure3; and

Figure'fi is a section on the line 66 of Fi ure 3.

ike parts are indicated by like symbols throughout the. specification and drawings.

' A generally indicates any suitable base frame or member provided. for example with 40 the anti-frictional and noise deadening studs or supports A Mounted on such base member is any suitable motor means herein shown as the motor B from which projects the motor shaft B on which is the driving pulley B adapted to front elevation with parts shaft D.

- the shaft 1) adapted to the 15514-4 of but not necessarily cupped.

Serial No. 107,658. Divided and this application filedn'ugust 21,

1929. Serial No. 387,307.

engage an'd drive the belt B herein shown as of triangular cross-section to engage the inner sleeve D inwhich are mounted the ball bearing tracks vD to support the balls D opposed to the inner trac s D on the knife D are locking nuts whereby to secure the knife shaft and rollerbearing as-- sembly together, the shaft D being enlarged as at D to engage the inner forward ball track D D is a channel pulley mounted on receive about itthe belt 13.

E is a knife disc proper secured to the shaft 1 assembly for example by the screw E and additionally secured to the alley D for example by the screws E he knife disc is shown as convex and is peri herally cut away or recessed on its hollow ace, as atE to leave a peripheral ortion E projecting somewhat forwardly rom the face of the knife, the inner face of which is preferably,

Mounted on the orward face of the frame member C 'is the fixed guard plate H which may be of any suitable material. At its left edge, as shown in Figure 3, it is arcuately cut away as at H, the arcuate portion penetrating or seating closely within the peripheral channel E of the knife E the axis of the knife being slightly tilted in a horizontal plane from perpendicularity to the plate, as shown in Figure 2 to bring the edge of the knife forward into the position shown in such figure, Igenerally in the plane of the guard plate J is a frame or housing member upwardly projecting from the opposite end of the base A; Mounted for rotation therewithin is the control shaft J u on the inner end of which is the worm J of the knife, due to the angle at which it is set, is not in a vertical plane but is slightly bowed forward. The right edge of said gauge plate K, as shown in Figure 3, may be 'arcuatel' formed, as at K, generally concentrica ly with the-arcuate portion H of the fix'ed guard plate; The distance separating the opposed edges'is, as shownin Figure 2, suflicientto permit the penetration therebetween ofthe periphera portion E of the knife E.

. Secured to therock shaft J 6 is a segment worm ear K" which meshes with and is 'driven Ey the worm J Atension spring K is secured at one endto a lug K o the frame J and at its opposite end to one of the pivoted blocks or strips K. 4 This s ring serves to hold the teeth inthe segmentin close contact with the'op osedteethof the worm J Coiled aroun the upper art of the rock shaft-J is a heavy spring which is held under com res'sion against the under side of one of the earinglugs K by the collar K which is secured to the rock'sha-ftJfi} The re-i sult' frictionacts as a 'brake, and tends to hold fiie gauge plate K in any position in which it may be set by the operation of the handle J The support of-the gauge plate by means 'of.

the parallel links K, K not only provides-for maintenance of parallelismfof the active face of the gauge plate relative tothe active face of the guard plate and relative to the line of movement of the carriage 0, but also makes ossible the gradual widening of the throat tween the active edge of the cutter and theforward edge of the gauge plate as that throat is deepened to provide for thicker slices, thereby provid1ng the necessary amount of clearance for the thicker slices. It will be readily understood that various wellknown mechanical mountings for the auge plate, by which uniform angular re ation throughout adjustment may be maintained, and by which the'desired widening of the throat is attained as the throat is deepened, will readily suggest themselves to the average mechanic.

K"- is any suitable top or 11d member extending from end to end of the shcmg mauch shaft is controlled by' the external handle J provided with-indicatchiii and adapted to be secured for example housing or frame C.

L is any suitable receiving plate for receiving the material sliced bythe knife and L is any suitable control switch for control ling the current to the motor of the motor housing B.

M is a track herein shown as of circular cross-section mounted for example on the supports M upwardly projecting from the opposite ends of the base A. The ends of the track are enclosed by the sheathes M apertured nipermit the penetration of the bolts or screws 3 headed as at Mt and upwardly extending through the base A, the support members M ,'the sheathes M and into the ends of the track M. Aligned beneath the track M is any suitable slide or rail M herein shown as of rectangular cross-section.

Mounted for movement along the track M and the rail M is any suitable carriage or supporting member herein shown as including a body portion 0 and a meat engaging member Such meat en aging member includes a broad face 0 slig tly inclined to the horizontal and a narrower face 0 sharply inclined to the horizontal the two being gnerally perpendicular to each other. ownwardly depending, from the body portion 0 is'an arm or slide 0 with a depending finger O, which carries a bearing member 0 adapted to engage one side of the slide M Movably secured to it is the finger memberO in which is any suitable adgsustingmember herein shown as the screw controlled b the lock nut 0 0 are any suitable bu er members adapted to contact the posts M at each end of the excursion of the carriage; 0 is any suitable handle for the manual movement of the carriage.-

P is a meat face plate or pusher provided 'withthe pins P P which penetrate opposed holes inthe meat table support 0. The pusher P is rovided witha handle P and carries on its ront face pins 1? to engage the meat or other substance being sliced.

It will be realized that whereas I have illustrated and described a practical and operative device that nevertheless many changes may be made Without de arting from the spirit of my invention, an I therefore wish my drawings and description to be taken as in a broad sense illustrative and diagrammatic rather than as limiting me to my precise showing.

The use and operation of my invention are as follows:

I provide a generally vertical fixed guard 1 plate, arcuately cut away to permit the penetration or the exposure of the rotary knife. The plane of the knife is tilted in order to bring the exposed edge generally into the plane or close to the plane of the forward face of the guard plate, the knife being hollowed or sunk in order to permit its peripheral portion E to extend forwardly beyond the body of the knife. Generally aligned with the fixed guard plate H is the adjustable gauge plate K controlled by the worm J 2 which in turn is controlled by rotation of the handle J The gauge plate and guard plate are slightly bowed to conform'to the curvature of the exposed knife edge. This bowing is particularly important in connection with the gauge plate but is also preferable in connection with the guard plate.

Referring to Figure 3 it will be noted that the upper edge of the guard plate H projects forwardly somewhat as at H in order to permit the central portion, along the arc H to penetrate the space in the knife. It is the central portion which is bowed, in order to conform to the contour of the cutting arc of the knife in the cutting plane. The forwardly offset portion H and a corresponding lower offset portion concealed by the carriage O in Figure 3, are positioned above and below, respectively, that part of the guard plate which normally engages the work as the carriage is reciprocated. I have shown a fixed finger J 5 on the housing opposed to the symbols J t on the handle, but obviously any other practical means for controlling or indicating the necessary rotation of the worm may be employed. In response to rotation of the worm the link or lever K is rotated and moves in unison with the gauge plate K The lever or link rotates necessarily in unison with the link K, the two being of like length between pivot points, the gauge K always lying in a plane parallel with the plane of the guard plate H.

The material being cut is placed upon the carriage and is moved, for the cutting excursion, from left to right, as shown in Figures 2 and 3. The thickness of the slice is determined by the position of the gauge plate, K the slice passes through the aperture between the edge of the knife and the gauge plate K anddrops upon the receiving plate L. from which it may be manually removed. With the gauge plate K supported as herein shown, as the plate is moved 'backwardly from the cutting plane, in order to increase the thickness of the slice to be produced, the arcuate edge of the gauge plate draws readily away from the cutting edge, so that the throat between the gauge plate and the cutting edge is both deepened and widened, and, as the slice is thereby thickened, a relatively greater space is provided, through which the thickened slice may easily pass. This double recessive movement is the necessary result of the employment of the mounting herein shown, but obviously other means may be employed in order to impart to the gauge plate the combined rearward and lateral movement above described. An advantage of this disposition rests in the fact that the thickness of the slice increases more readily than does the actual distance between the gauge plate and the plane of the knife and a smaller'movement of the gauge plate is necessary.

As shown in Figures 2 and 5, the guard plate H is adjustable toward and away from the knife, for example by means of rotation of the threaded stud bolt Q, screwed to the lugs Q, on the frame C and secured by the screws QR threaded into the stud bolt Q. The position of the plate H is preferably initially adj usted at the factory but further adjustment, if necessary, ma easily be made by the operator. The kni e shaft sleeve D being also longitudinally adjusted, it is possible easily. and accurately to position knife and guard plate in the proper relation. The housing C and the plate H between them entirely enclose the knife driving mechanism and the knife is exposed only along the cutting edge and only when the gauge plate is Withdrawn. When the gauge plate is advanced forwardly to the position shown in full line in Figure 2 the entire edge of the knife is guarded or concealed.

I claim:

1. In a slicing machine, a guard plate, a rotary knife positioned on one side of saidplate, the plane of the knife being tilted at a slight angle in relation to the plate, to bring a portion of the edge of said knife into the general plane of the plate, and a gauge plate, the face of said plate being bowed to conform to the contour of the edge of the tilted knife.

2. In a slicing machine a rotary knife, a guard plate overlying the major portion of said knife and leaving an arc of the edge thereof exposed, the exposed face of said guard plate lying at a slight angle to the.

plane of the edge of theknife, and a guage plate having an arcuate end adjacent the edge of the knife, said gauge plate being bowed to approximate the exposed .edge of the knife.

3. In a slicing machine a rotary knife, a guard plate overlying the major portion of said knife and leaving an arc of the edge thereof exposed, the exposed face of said guard plate lying at a slight angle to the plane'of the edge of the knife, a gauge plate having an arcuate end adjacent the edge of the knife, said gauge plate being bowed to approximate the exposed edge of the knife, and means by which the throat between said gauge plate and knife may be varied as to depth.

4. In a slicing machine'a rotary knife, a

guard plate overlying the major portion of said knife and leaving an arc of the edge.

thereof exposed, the exposed face of said guard plate lying at a slight angle to the plane of the edge of the knife, a gauge plate aving an arcuate end adjacent the edge of the knife, said gauge plate being bowed to said knife and leaving an arc of the edge thereof exposed, the exposed face of said guard plate lying at a slight angle to the plane of the edge of the knife, a gauge plate having an arcuate end adjacent the edge of the knife, said gauge plate being bowed toapproximate the exposed edge of the knife and means for adjusting theegauge plate relatively to and in parallelism with the guard plate.

6. In a slicing machine a rotary knife, a

- guard plate overlying the major portion of said knife and leaving an arc of the ed e thereof exposed, the exposed face of sa1d guard plate lying at a slight angle to the plane of the edge of the knife, a gauge plate having an arcuate end adjacent the edge of the knife, said gauge plate being bowed to knife edge and the face of the guard plate,

approximate the exposed edge of the knife, and means by which the throat between said gauge plate and knife may be varied simultaneously as to depth and throat, and the gauge plate maintained in parallelism with the guard plate.

7. In a slicing machine, a guard plate, a rotary knife positioned on one side of said plate, the plane of the knife being tilted at a sh ht angle in relation to the plate, means for griving the knife, and means .for adjusting the plate toward and away from the knife, including in part a frame structure upon which knife and plate are mounted, securing members for said plate, adapted to penetrate-said frame, and. spacing members adjustable along said securing members against which said plate is adapted to abut.

8. In a slicing machine a rotary cutter, a guard plate overlying the major portion of the face of said cutter but leaving an arc of the edge of said cutter exposed, said guard plate having an exposed face lying at a small angle to the plane of the edge of the knife, means by which there may be a relative adjustment between the plane of the a gauge plate arranged beyond the exposed edge of the knife, and means by which there may be a relative adjustment between the gauge plate and knife edge to vary the depth of the throat of the guard plate and gauge p ate.

9. In a slicing machine a rotary cutter, a guard plate overlying the major portion of the face of said cutter but leaving an arc of the edge of said cutter exposed, said guard plate having an exposed face lying at a small angle to the plane of the edge of the knife, means by which there may be a relative adjustment between the plane of the knife edge and the face of the guard plate, a gauge plate arranged beyond the exposed edge of the knife, and means by which there may be a relative adjustment between the gauge plate and knife edge to vary the depth of the throat and maintain parallelism of the guard plate and gauge plate.

10. In a slicing machine, a rotary knife and means for rotating it, the axis of rotation of said knife lying in a generally horizontal plane, a guard plate positioned forwardly of said knife and lying in a generally vertical plane, the axis of said knife being tilted to bring the cutting arc of said knife into the plane of said guard plate, a gauge plate positioned in a plane generally parallel with the plane of said guard plate, a carriage adapted to support the material being sliced, and means for guiding said carriage along a path generally parallel with the faces of the gauge plate and the guard plate.

11. In a slicing machine, a rotary knife and means for rotating it, a guard plate positioned forwardly of said knife, the axis of said knife being tilted to bring the cutting arc of said knife into the plane of said guard plate, a gauge plate positioned in a plane generally parallel with the plane of said guard plate, a carriage adapted to underlie and supportthc material being sliced, and means for guiding said carriage along a path generally parallel with the faces of the gauge plate and the guard plate. v

12. In a slicing machine, a rotary knife and means for rotating it, the axis of rotation of said'knife lying in a generally horizontal plane, a guard plate positioned forwardly of said knife and lying in a generally vertical plane, the axis of saidknife being tilted to bring the cutting arc of said knife into the plane of said guard plate, a gauge plate positioned in a plane generally parallel with the plane of said guard plate, a carriage adapted to support the material being sliced, and means for guiding said carriage along a path generally parallel with the faces of the gauge plate and the guard fplate, and means for manually moving the material being sliced toward the gauge plate, and for moving the material and carriage past the cutting edge of the knife. v

13. In a slicing machine, a guard plate, a rotary knife positioned on one side of said plate, the plane of the knife being tilted at a slight .angle in relation to the plate, to bring a portion of the edge of the knife into the general plane of the plate, and a gauge plate,

'the face of the guard plate being bowed to conform to the contour of the edge of the tilted knife.

14. Ina slicing machine, a guard plate, a rotary knife positioned on one side of said plate, the plane of the knife being tilted at a slight angle in relation to the plate, to bring the portion of the edge of the knife into the general plane of the plate, and a gauge plate, the faces of the guard and gauge plates being bowed.

15. In a slicing machine, a guard plate, a rotary knife positioned on one side of said plate, the plane of the knife being tilted at a slight angle in relation to the plate, to bring a portion of the edge of said knife into the general plane of the plate, the knife being formed with'a central concavity surrounded by a peripheral rim forwardly projecting therefrom, the guard plate being offset at top and bottom to clear said rim, the intermediate portion of the guard plate penetrating said concavity and being bowed to conform generally to the contour of the edge of the knife. 7

16. In a slicing machine, a rotary knife and means for rotating it, the axis of rotation of said knife lying in a generally horizontal plane, a guard plate positioned forwardly of said knife and lying in a generally vertical plane, the axis of said knife being tilted to bring the cutting arc of said knife into the plane of said guard plate, a gauge plate positioned in a plane generally parallel with the plane of said guard plate, a carriage adapted to support the material being sliced, and means for guiding said carriage along a path generally parallel with the faces of the gauge plate and the guard plate, the knifebein-g formed with a central concavity and surrounding rim, the guard plate entering and conforming to the arcuate edge of the concavity and being offset to clear said rim.

17. In a slicing machine, a rotary knife and means for rotating it, a guard plate positioned forwardly of said knife, the axis of said knife being tilted to bring the cuttingarc of said knife into the plane of said guard plate, a gauge plate positioned in a plane generally parallel with the plane of said guard plate, a carriage adapted to underlie and support the material being sliced, and means for guiding said carriage along a path generally parallel with the faces of the gauge plate and the guard plate, the knife being formed with a central concavity and surrounding rim, the

' guard plateentering and conforming to the arcuate edge of the concavity and being offset toclear said rim.

, 18. In a slicing machine, a rotary knife and means for rotating it, the axis of rotation of said knife lyin in a generally horizontal plane, a guard p ate positioned forwardly of said knife and lying in a generally vertical plane, theaxis of said knife being tilted to bring the cutting arc of said knife into the plane of said guard plate, a gauge plate positioned in a plane generally parallel with the plane of said guard plate, a carriage adapted to support the material being sliced, and means for guiding said carriage along a path generally parallel with the faces of the gauge plate and the guard plate, and means for WILLIAM J. CAMPBELL. 

